Remote imagery of DNA-based sampling

Background

Remote cameras are used world-wide to address a variety of research and management objectives for wildlife species that are often difficult to find track, and capture. They are an effective tool for investigating wildlife behavior, as well as documenting species presence. They have been used to improve wildlife live-trapping methods and to document use of highway crossing structures. Remote camera systems are relatively affordable, easily implemented, and have little impact on study animals. Improvements in camera technology, sampling design, and analytical methods continue to broaden the range of applications.

A remote sensing camera system consists of an infrared motion detector and a still or video camera. Sensors can be either passive (similar to household motion;detecting lights) or active, where a beam must be broken, for example, by an animal traveling down a trail.

Equipment

Photography: Film and Digital Cameras paired with a sensor
Video: Standard- and high-definition cameras paired with a sensor

We cannot list specific brands or models on this website.

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Methods

We deployed a variety of remote camera systems at 20 sites in northwestern Montana 1998-2007. We tested film and digital still cameras, as well as standard- and high-definition video cameras. Due to light demands, video cameras were usually set to run only during daylight hours. Still cameras, both digital and still, were capable of taking quality images under most conditions without additional lighting. These systems were allowed to run continuously.

More information about the camera systems will be posted in the coming months.

For more information on hair trap and bear rub sampling methods follow the links at the bottom of this page to the Greater Glacier Bear DNA Project or the Northern Divide Grizzly Bear Project.

Results

From 2005 through 2007, we logged over 1,000 camera nights at 16 sites in Glacier National Park and the Flathead National Forest and photographed dozens of grizzly bears and black bears. We recorded all age-sex classes approaching and entering hair traps, including females with young. We documented only one instance of a bear failing to cross the wire. In this instance, the cameras were set to run during daylight hours, so we cannot rule out the possibility that this bear returned during the night and entered the hair trap. All bears that crossed (either under or over) the wire left at least one hair sample. This includes bears that stepped on the wire when they crossed. We also documented with remote cameras and genetic sampling, that bears of all sizes, including cubs of the year, leave hair on the barbed wire at hair traps and rub trees.

RELATED PROJECTS

Northern Divide Grizzly Bear Project (2003-2008): The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) in northwest Montana is one of the last strongholds of the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states. Follow link for more information on this project

RELATED MATERIALS

Grizzly Bear Project Podcast: podcast is an excerpt from a short film Glacier Park made entitled "Glacier Is" that was presented to the Parks, Peace and Partnerships Symposium in fall 2007 as part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park 75th anniversary celebration. Available in Podcast or MP4 (12.7MB) format on the Glacier National Park Science and Research Podcast Page.